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Paper long abstract:

Participation of all citizens in the electoral process irrespective of gender, class, race, and ability is a fundamental right protected by various laws and conventions. However, Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in Nigeria and many other emerging democracies often experienced difficulties in exercising this right due to legal, institutional, cultural, and administrative barriers. Various laws, reforms, and policies have been proposed and implemented to facilitate the electoral inclusion of PWDs, including ratifying the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD). Article 29 of that Treaty requires all states to ensure that ‘voting procedures, facilities and materials are appropriate, accessible and easy to understand and use’, and that the rights of all disabled people to participate fully and equally in political and public life are protected. Nigeria, a signatory to the UN Convention, has also domesticated the Disability Act in 2019, and reformed some sections of electoral law in 2022. Apart from these, Nigeria’s election management body (INEC) has spearheaded reforms aiming to promote the inclusivity of PWDs in the electoral process. Beyond policies and reforms, the paper relies on interviews, observations, and document reviews to examine the extent to which the INEC complies with the extant laws, policies and reforms relating to the participation of PWDs in the administration of elections in Nigeria. This is timely research for the implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) in Nigeria, especially as the country prepares for the 2023 general elections.